African leaders must own up to their failures
24/9/2022: In speeches at the 77th session of UN's General Assembly, Africa’s post-Independence leaders have raised a legitimate issue when they demand reparations from colonial masters. But their case is undermined by their own record of repression and chronic economic mismanagement.
Source: The East African
Calls by Zelensky and Biden for UN reform win support
22/9/2022: The Ukrainian president demands that Russia should be stripped of its veto in the UN security council. Academic research suggests there is widespread public support for maintaining the authority of the UN and making its structures more representative of the world population.
Source: The Conversation
World Bank sees global development in crisis
20/9/2022: World Bank President David Malpass has expressed concern about the reversal of progress in human development. Education and debt are particularly challenging for low income countries as climate change combined with the war in Ukraine continue to undermine the world economy.
Source: Devex
Towards a more secure future through effective multilateralism
21/9/2022: As the 77th General Assembly session gets under way, the co-Chair of the UN's High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism reviews the challenge of improving international cooperation.
Source: Inter Press Service
Annual report of UN Secretary-General
15/9/2022: António Guterres records that the past year has been one of deep and interlocking crises that are growing in scale and severity, making the work of the UN more vital than ever. His Annual Report includes analysis of expenditure on the UN's eight priority areas of work in 2021.
Source: UN News
Re-invigorating the international trade system
8/9/2022: The US/China tariff war would not be allowed under a more functional international trade system. Unilateral policies such as ‘America First’ are unfair and detrimental to other countries. Members of the World Trade Organization must restore an effective dispute settlement mechanism.
Source: East Asia Forum
Human development falling behind in 90% of countries
8/9/2022: For the first time in over 30 years of publication, the UN's Human Development Index has declined globally for two years in a row. Human development has fallen back to its 2016 levels, reversing much of the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: UN News
The UN in crisis: big powers and bad influence
22/8/2022: Individual member states have always exerted a heavy influence on the United Nations and the five veto-wielding members are the most egregious offenders. The Security Council is largely dysfunctional, as President Zelensky of Ukraine has pointed out.
Source: PassBlue
Open Society Foundation concern for democratic dysfunction
13/7/2022: The President of the Open Society Foundation has painted a gloomy picture of the state of democracy, thwarting the response to many global crises. He sees promise from recent elections in Latin America which have returned progressive, democratic governments to power.
Source: Devex
Global crises impede the Sustainable Development Goals
8/7/2022: This week marks the mid-way point between the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 and their 2030 target date. Progress data shows that intersecting global crises are impacting food and nutrition, health, education, the environment, and peace, undermining accomplishments towards the SDGs.
Source: Inter Press Service